Steve said:
Why is it a good idea?
ram said:
Gas tax is imperfect and will become more imperfect as more vehicles do not use fuel, or use it in combination with electricity. So an alternative is going to be needed to be found. And tracking mileage is becoming ever easier.
ParticleMan said:
ram said:
Gas tax is imperfect and will become more imperfect as more vehicles do not use fuel, or use it in combination with electricity. So an alternative is going to be needed to be found. And tracking mileage is becoming ever easier.
I find it interesting that someone who once claimed to be a libertarian (I'm glad you've shed that skin) would rather have the government track your whereabouts to charge you for the highway mileage you use than pay an imperfect (though suitable for now) tax to pay for roads. When cars that don't run on fossil fuel become more prevalent, they'll find another way. But for now, a gas tax is better than government lojack.
ram said:
Having used both I I'll say the Port Authority is much worse. Yes there are some more spacious central areas but the bus loading and unloading areas are chaos.
marylago said:
The mechanics can fix them, but it's a constant battle. Like all the time. Food and gum and coffee and other liquids, not to mention what I don't even want to think about... Imagine if every time you drove, someone was constantly dropping food and wrappers and liquids onto your fan belt. I'd be willing to bet it'd stop working pretty soon...
ram said:
I have long said civil court is a good place to turn into pay as you go.
ligeti said:
Can we just fly a couple of consultants over from France or Germany to show them how to fix it?
ligeti said:
Can we just fly a couple of consultants over from France or Germany to show them how to fix it?
dk50b said:
Guess I overreacted a tad. If you recall a former MOLer named Pennboy, I had the same discussion years ago. Only he wanted to get the system described up and running as soon as possible. Sorry for taking out my flashback anger on you ram.
You do raise an interesting point about subsidies. Most people have no clue how widespread our daily activities are artificially cheaper due to massive subsidization My praise of the NJ gas tax aside, driving is the most heavily subsidized action in the US. Drivers pay only 51% of the cost of maintaining the road system in user fees. The rest comes from general revenues, to the tone of $78 billion/year. Ram, I completely agree drivers should pay the full cost of their activity. I also think the mechanisms we have can be adjusted to make up for lessened demand for gas. The mile based user fee will never be cost effective, nor do I think there's any way to address privacy concerns.
http://usa.streetsblog.org/2013/01/23/drivers-cover-just-51-percent-of-u-s-road-spending/
Continuing the who pays how much theme, transit riders pay 20% of their costs. But the total of that subsidy pales in comparison to what autos get. Republican bete noire Amtrak pays 85% of its costs. The long distance routes have been pared to a bare bones network. Maintenance isn't an issue as Amtrak pays the freight RRs for access.
The profitable NE Corridor runs on a dangerously decrepit infrastructure that it owns. If passengers had to pay for repairs, ticket costs would be unaffordable. This is the reason for constantly increasing subway fares in NY. After granting billions in state funds to accomplish the miracle turnaround of the 80s, Pataki told the MTA they would now need to borrow the billions needed to continue. So riders there are paying most of those costs, while drivers still receive outsized subsidies from everyone else, including the City's many non-drivers. If someone should be getting a break, it ought to be those who benefit the City and the environment, rather than those who degrade both.
If autos have it sweet, trucks have it the sweetest. They cause 99% of road damage, but pay only 35% of user fees. That's a $60 billion/year subsidy. Is this fair to competing modes, particularly freight RRs, that pay every cent of maintenance costs and property taxes as well?
http://truecostblog.com/2009/06/02/the-hidden-trucking-industry-subsidy/
With the costliest parts our transportation system so heavily subsidized, reducing or eliminating them will result in higher out of pocket costs for nearly everyone. If trucks had to pay full freight, every part of the economy would obviously be effected. All of this would combine to reduce income and drive inflation.
Ideas anyone?
ligeti said:
“It’s taken time to disassemble the mechanism, clean the assembly and order parts,” the spokesman said.
It sounds like he's describing the slide projector at a middle school science department. This is the busiest transit stairwell IN THE WORLD. Two and a half months. What an embarrassment.
The Europeans are laughing at us.
Shame on America.
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